Joss Whedon’s S.H.I.E.L.D. series pilot has officially started filming today and the first images and bits of news are already starting to leak out. Though the series has yet to be ordered to anything beyond the pilot, ABC’s executives are optimistic that the show will become the small-screen version of Marvel’s theatrical success. In addition to production beginning behind-the-scenes, S.H.I.E.L.D. has also launched a variety of social networking accounts that will allow fans to follow along with the show’s progress.

Starring Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tain De Caestecker and Brett Dalton, the S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot should air on ABC this fall. Hit the jump for more.

News on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s production comes via EW, where we also get these frustratingly worthless first shots from behind-the-scenes. We’ve got a silhouette of Whedon starring at a closed elevator, a truck with the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem and a shot of co-writer Jed Whedon’s chair for some reason:

Pretty useless, no? But luckily the S.H.I.E.L.D. team has a new Facebook page and Twitter account that are both up and running. Speaking of Twitter, you should also consider following Marvel’s Ryan Penagos (@AgentM) who happens to be on set for the filming of the pilot: